The Wind Singer - Softcover

Harry Potter, stand back! Philip Pulman, get your coat! The Hath family has arrived! Hanno, Ira, Bowman, Kestrel and Pinpin Hath are an unhappy family in the world of Aramanth, ruled over by Maslo Inch and his Examiners. Life there is strictly regulated. From the age of two, every citizen must sit regular examinations, the results of which dictate the entire family's social standing, right down to what they can wear. Everyone must live by the Oath of Dedication, they must 'strive harder to reach higher.' But there is no soul in Aramanth and Kestrel and her twin brother are becoming increasingly rebellious. Kestrel is drawn to the wind singer, an ancient statue which stands in the city's square which, myth has it, used to sing until the evil spirit lord, the Morah, stole its voice. Somehow Kestrel knows that to restore happiness to Aramanth, she must restore the voice of the wind singer. She embarks on a dangerous and thrilling mission with Bowman but they also find Mumpo in tow. Mumpo is the school dunce who nobody likes but who adores Kestrel. As their journey progresses, they pass through many diiferent lands and meet some very strange races. Each step of the way they learn th

William Nicholson was born in 1948 and received his early education at Downside School, a Roman Catholic monastic school set in the countryside near Bath. He went on to study English Literature at Christ's College, Cambridge, graduating with a double First Class degree in 1970. After leaving university, William joined BBC television, where he worked as a documentary film maker. It was not long before William's talent was channelled into writing for television dramas and his professional writing career took off. William is perhaps best known as an experienced and successful Hollywood screenwriter, whose credits include the BAFTA award-winning SHADOWLANDS and Oscar-winning GLADIATOR. Nicholson's first trilogy for young readers, The Wind on Fire, met with universal acclaim. Nicholson has won the Smarties Gold Award and the Blue Peter Book Award. He has been cited as one of the most gifted and imaginative writers alive in the world today. William lives in Sussex with his wife Virginia, and their three children.